Apparatus for treating crude petroleum and other liquids



F A KENT ETAL 2,543,242

APPARATUS FOR TREATING CRUDE PETROLEUM AND OTHER LIQUIDS Sheet 1INVENTORJ I /O 0 fl enf 2 Sheets- ATTORNEY k a 4 m m a 6 q.

Feb. 27 1951 Filed March 3, 1947 Feb. 27 1 1 F. A. KENT ET AL APPARATUSFOR TREATING CRUDE PETROLEUM AND OTHER LIQUIDS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledMarch 5. 1947 INVENTORJ fliazlf ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 27, 1951APPARATUS FOR TREATING CRUDE PETRO- LEUM AND OTHER LIQUIDS Floyd A. Kentand Clarence W. Patrick, Midland, Mich.

Application March 3, 1947, Serial No. 732,108

4 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for treating liquids such as crudepetroleum as it is pumped from wells, and more particularly to anapparatus designed to separate liquids of different specific gravitiessuch as oil from the brine, sludge and other impurities, and toseparately drain 01f the oil and also the separated brine and impuritiesfound therein, so that it does not interfere with or retard the crackingand final refining of the product.

One of the prime objects of the invention is to design an apparatus,including a tank or basin, into which the crude petroleum is pumped, andfrom which it is forced into a driven separator for agitating andseparating the oil, brine, and other impurities which are taken oil atdifferent levels or zones, as the apparatus is operated.

Another object is to provide a petroleum treating apparatus in which thecrude petroleum is inserted at the lower end of the apparatus and isthen rotated, so that centrifugal force causes the more volatile oil torise and overflow, after it has reached a predetermined level, thebrine, impurities, etc., due to the difference in specific gravities,being forced outwardly towards the outer wall of the shell and are thendrained off in a similar manner.

A further object is to design simple, practical, and eflicientapparatus, including means for effectively separating the oil from thebrine and impurities, together with means for driving said shell toforce the crude petroleum into the shell as the apparatus is operated.

A further object still is to provide petroleum treating apparatusincluding a driven shell having scoops extending into the liquid to betreated, so that the pressure generated by the shell rotation forces theliquid upwardly into the shell, where it is separated by centrifugalaction and then drawn off into separate tanks or containers.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said inventionthen consists of the means hereinafter fully described, and particularlypointed out in the claims, the annexed drawings and followingdescription setting forth, in detail, certain means and one mode ofcarrying out the invention, such disclosed means and mode illustrating,however, but one of various ways in which the principle of the inventionmay be used.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a part-sectional, side-elevational view of our petroleumtreating apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, part-sectional top plan view thereof. the upperstays etc. being omitted.

Fig. 3 is a detail inverted plan view of the rota able shell.

Fig. 4 is a vertical, sectional view of the she Fig. 5 is an enlarged,plan view showing tl cover plate for the sludge sump.

The apparatus herein described is adapted f( treatment of variousliquids, but for the purpo: of illustration, we will describe it as usedin tl". treatment of crude petroleum.

Referring now to the drawings in which w have shown the preferredembodiment of our in vention. The apparatus comprises a ,tank 0 basin 8into which the crude petroleum from well (not shown) is piped, throughinlet pipe as usual.

A centrally disposed sludge sump S is provide( in said basin, and aperforated plate 8 forms 1 cover therefore, a sludge pipe 9 beingconnectei thereto and is provided with a valve I 0 to contro. therelease of sludge therefrom when desired said pipe leading to anydesired spot or receptacle (not shown).

A cylindrical shell 1 I is mounted in the basin 6, the ends of the shellbeing flanged as at l2, and top and bottom cover plates 3 and I4respectively are connected thereto by means of bolts l5, gaskets l6being interposed as usual to form a leak-proof connection thereat.

Hubs I! are provided on the top and bottom plates l3 and i4, and acentrally disposed sleeve I8 is mounted in said shell and extends intosaid hubs, a shaft 19 being mounted in the sleeve and is joumaled inbearings 20 and 2| respectively, the bearing 20 being carried by theside wall of the basin and the lower bearing 2| is mounted on afabricated frame 22 disposed directly above the sump. The shaft andsleeve are secured to the hubs I1 for rotation with the shell, and apulley 23 is provided on the upper end of the shaft I9 and is connectedto any suitabl source of power (not shown) in any desired manner.

Circumferentially disposed, vertically spaced outlet pipes 24, 25, and26 open into the shell II at different zones or levels, these pipesdischarging into troughs 21, 28, and 29 supported from the wall of thetank 6 as the apparatus is operated, and pipes H lead to receptacles ortanks (not shown) in which the separated products are stored orotherwise disposed of.

A plurality of separating disks 30 are mounted on the sleeve I8 invertically spaced relation, and radially disposed ribs 3| are providedon the upper face of each disk. Openings 32 ar provided in each diskbetween said ribs, so that liquid can flow therethrough, these disksbeing fixed on the sleeve [8, so that the openings 32 are in verticalalignment, and the outer periphery of each disk is spaced apredetermineddistance from the wall of the shell as shown.

A plate 33 divides the shell into individual compartments A and B, andis rigidly connected to the wall of the shell II, and it, too, isprovided with openings R to admit liquid to the space above said plate,which space is designated as zone B.

Funnel-shaped scoop members 34 are connected to pipes 35 which open intothe shell ll through the bottom plate H, these members beingcircumferentially spaced to scoop up the crude petroleum as the shell isdriven to force it into the shell, and these scoops are verticallyspaced with relation to each other so that the path of travel overlaps.

The separating disks aid in separating the brine and impurities from theoil, so that the oil is forced upwardly through the openings 32 providedin the disks 30; whereas, the brine and other impurities are thrownoutwardly (due to differences in the specific gravities), and againstthe wall of the shell.

The operation of the apparatus is substantially as follows:

When power is applied to the pulley 23, the shell i i will be driven ata predetermined R. P. M.. the funnel-shaped scoops 34 scooping up thecrude petroleum in the tank and forcing it into the interior of theshell, the centrifugal action tending to separate and break up the oil,brine and impurities, forcing the brine and impurities toward the outerwall of the shell, while the lighter, volatile oil remains in thecenter, rising upwardly through the openings 32 and thence throughopenings R into zone B, thence overflowing through outlet pipe 24 andinto the circular trough 21 from which it fiows through pipe H to an oilreceptacle (not shown) Likewise, the centrifugal action forces the brineand other impurities upwardly and outwardly in the shell, and this isdischarged through outlet pipe 25 into the trough 28 from which it isagain piped back for further treatment or otherwise disposed of. Theoutlet pipe 26 operates in substantially the same manner as the pipe 25,and this, too, leads to a trough 29 and thence is disposed of asdesired.

All of the discharge pipes 24, 25, and 25 are provided with valves 31 sothat the flow can be regulated to suit the nature of the petroleum beingprocessed, and it will of course, be obvious that it may be necessary tore-circulate some of the brine in which there remains sufficient oil towarrant recovery.

A suitable opening 38 is provided in the upper cover plate I3 tofacilitate access to the interior of the shell for the purpose ofadjustment or re pair, and this is closed by means of a plate 39 asusual.

It will of course be obvious that the petroleum may be introduced intothe shell by other means than the funnel-shaped scoops, but this is,however, immaterial as any practical means may be employed.

Bafiles 40 are provided in the tank 6 to break up and retard theswirling of the tank contents when the apparatus is in operation, andthis, of course, may be accomplished in any other manner.

From the foregoing description, it will be obvious that we haveperfected a very simple, practical, economical, and efficient crudepetroleum treating apparatus which separates the brine and otherimpurities from the oil, so that final cracking and refining can beeasily accomplished.

What we claim is:

1. An apparatus for separating liquids of different specific gravitieswhich comprises a driven shell having a centrally disposed shaft, a tankin which the shell is mounted, bearings in said tank and in which theshaft is journaled, a plurality of separating disks of uniform shape anddiameter mounted on said shell in superimposed relation, radiallydisposed ribs on the upper face of said disks, and spaced-apart openingsin said disks intermediate said ribs, a separator plate above said disksand dividing the shell into individual vertical zones, openings in saidseparator plate for connecting said zones, vertically spaced troughs 0nthe inner wall of the tank, outlet pipes on said shell and dischargingthe separated liquids into said troughs, means connected to the lowerend of the driven shell and opening into the lower end of said tank forforcing the liquid to be separated into said shell as the shell isdriven, and means for retarding swirling action of the liquids in saidtank.

2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which the tank surrounds saidshell and forms a liquid basin for the liquid to be separated, andvertically spaced, funnel-shaped scoops extending into the liquid insaid tank for forcing liquid to be separated into the lower end of theshell as said shell is driven.

3. The combination as defined in claim 1 in which vertically spaced,downwardly projecting, funnel-shaped scoops are provided on the lowerend of the shell, and the swirl-retarding means comprises a plurality ofvertically disposed baffles on the wall of the tank for retarding theswirling action of the crude petroleum therein as the funnel-shapedscoops are driven.

4. The combination defined in claim 1 in which each separating diskbears on the ribs of the next lowest disk.

FLOYD A. KENT. CLARENCE W. PATRICK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 454,408 Stanton June 16, 1891523,105 Chapman July 17, 1894 703,630 Ten Winkel July 1, 1902 791,496Ponten June 6, 1905 957,478 Simpson May 10, 1910 980,001 Ponten Dec. 27,1910 1,003,118 McKellar Sept. 12, 1911 1,163,743 DOlier et a1. Dec. 14,1915 1,344,055 Milliken June 22, 1920 2,173,580 Fawcett Sept. 19, 1939FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 125,594 Germany Nov. 25, 1901198,387 Great Britain June 4, 1923 211,550 Italy Aug. 13, 1880

1. AN APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING LIQUIDS OF DIFFERENT SPECIFIC GRAVITIESWHICH COMPRISES A DRIVEN SHELL HAVING A CENTRALLY DISPOSED SHAFT, A TANKIN WHICH THE SHELL IS MOUNTED, BEARINGS IN SAID TANK AND IN WHICH THESHAFT IS JOURNALED, A PLURALITY OF SEPARATING DISKS OF UNIFORM SHAPE ANDDIAMETER MOUNTED ON SAID SHELL IN SUPERIMPOSED RELATION, RADIALLYDISPOSED RIBS ON THE UPPER FACE OF SAID DISKS, AND SPACED-APART OPENINGSIN SAID DISKS INTERMEDIATE SAID RIBS, A SEPARATOR PLATE ABOVE SAID DISKSAND DIVIDING THE SHELL INTO INDIVIDUAL VERTICAL ZONES, OPENINGS IN SAIDSEPARATOR PLATE FOR CONNECTING SAID ZONES, VERTICALLY SPACED TROUGHS ONTHE INNER WALL OF THE TANK, OUTLET PIPES ON SAID SHELL AND DISCHARGINGTHE SEPARATED LIQUIDS INTO SAID TROUGHS, MEANS CONNECTED TO THE LOWEREND OF THE DRIVEN SHELL AND THE OPENING INTO THE LOWER END OF SAID TANKFOR FORCING THE LIQUID TO BE SEPARATED INTO SAID SHELL AS THE SHELL ISDRIVEN, AND MEANS FOR RETARDING SWIRLING ACTION OF THE LIQUIDS IN SAIDTANK.